A derivative is a financial security whose value is derived in part from a value or characteristic of another security, known as an underlying asset. Two exemplary, well known derivatives are options and futures.
An option is a contract giving a holder of the option a right, but not an obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specific price on or before a certain date. Generally, a party who purchases an option is referred to as the holder of the option and a party who sells an option is referred to as the writer of the option.
There are generally two types of options: call options and put options. A holder of a call option receives a right to purchase an underlying asset at a specific price, known as the “strike price,” such that if the holder exercises the call option, the writer is obligated to deliver the underlying asset to the holder at the strike price. Alternatively, the holder of a put option receives a right to sell an underlying asset at a specific price, referred to as the strike price, such that if the holder exercises the put option, the writer is obligated to purchase the underlying asset at the agreed upon strike price. Thus, the settlement process for an option involves the transfer of funds from the purchaser of the underlying asset to the seller, and the transfer of the underlying asset from the seller of the underlying asset to the purchaser. This type of settlement may be referred to as “in kind” settlement. However, an underlying asset of an option does not need to be tangible, transferable property.
Options may also be based on more abstract market indicators, such as stock indices, interest rates, futures contracts and other derivatives. In these cases, in kind settlement may not be desired, or in kind settlement may not be possible because delivering the underlying asset is not possible. Therefore, cash settlement is employed. Using cash settlement, a holder of an index call option receives the right to “purchase” not the index itself, but rather a cash amount equal to the value of the index multiplied by a multiplier such as $100. Thus, if a holder of an index call option elects to exercise the option, the writer of the option is obligated to pay the holder the difference between the current value of the index and the strike price multiplied by the multiplier. If the current value of the index is less than or equal to the strike price, the option is worthless due to the fact the holder would realize a loss.
With the development of electronic trading systems, it is critical to have the ability to make appropriate entry and exit decisions quickly to maximize profits while minimizing losses. This is particularly the case with options trading. In addition, when investors trade the live market without any trend indication relative to the stock or option being traded, they may not be trading with the market sentiment. As each option has a particular strike price and an expiration date, timing is critical in an investor's success. Lacking access to the proper investment instruments, an investor may spend precious time in an effort to calculate market sentiment in order to obtain an indication of same.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for determining an indicator of market sentiment and for displaying such an indicator to investors for use in formulating trading strategies.